In March earlier this year, acclaimed fantasy author Anne Bishop returned to her world of Ephemera to tell a story about Lee, three women who are one, a Shaman named Danyal, and a city called Vision. Synopsis: When wizards threaten Glorianna Belladona and her work to keep Ephemera balanced, her brother Lee sacrifices himself in order to save her and ends up an asylum inmate in the city of Vision. But a darkness is spreading throughout Vision, perplexing the Shamans who protect it. And Lee is the only one who can shed any light on its mysteries...
The novel opens with a two-page epigraph from the Book of Dark Secrets as a Dark Guide plots revenge. Lee is still angry about what Michael did in Belladonna, and how he (Michael) asked Sebastian to help instead of Lee. This causes a heart rift and Lee has to leave because his heart no longer resonates with his sisters landscapes. In Vision, A Shaman named Danyal is assigned as Keeper of the Souther Asylum. Sholeh Zeela a Zhahar, a Tryad, meets Danyal and finds uot from Helper Kobrah that she (Kobrah) is meeting a strange man (Teaser) in her dreams who takes her for walks. A corrupt Bridge lures Lee to a group of wizards who kidnap Lee and abuse him, trying to get Glorianna so they can kill her. They leave Lee in the Southern Asylum in Vision where the Zhahar aspect of Sholeh Zeela a Zhahar fall for him and Danyal dismisses the man looking over Lee. Lee recovers and learns that several of the Asylum residents resonate with Glorianna's landscapes. Michael, in an attempt to rescue Lee, tells Ephemera to send Lee messages. Ephemera does so in the form of broken watches and clocks. Lee teaches the Sholeh aspect about the different demon races seen in the Den of Iniquity.
The Zeela aspect is badly wounded and it's showing on the Zhahar aspect. Lee and Danyal get help and Meddik Benham heals her, though there's not much he can do with the limited facilities at the Asylum. When Danyal and Lee discuss Ephemera, Danyal doesn't believe the landscape can do everything and foolishly wishes for gems--gems pop out of the ground. After Danyal is attacked by a Dark Guide, he ends up in the Den. An Apothecary helps Lee, Sholeh Zeela a Zhahar, Kobrah and a Knife flee to Tryadnea. Danyal tells lee's family about the situation in Vision and they agree to help, as soon as Lee is safe. Lee tells Sholeh Zeela a Zhahar's mother, Morragen Medusah a Zephyra, to say "Heart's Hope lies with Belladonna." She does and Glorianna, and Sebastian, appear and anchor Tryadnea to the Den. Morragen Medusah a Zephyra is disturbed by the knowledge that Glorianna was one aspect split in to two ways and will try and help heal her. Glorianna and Ephemera create a border that the Tryad can cross over. It leads to the Den. They all cross over. After a day in the Den, they go to Aurora. It turns out that the Zeela aspect doesn't resonate with Aurora and Zhahar doesn't resonate with the Den. Sholeh Zeela a Zhahar suspect taht Allone--a Tryad who sacrificed her sisters to love a one aspect being--crossed over and is planning on causing trouble in Tryadnea. Lee and Zhahar argue and the border to Tryadnea slowly fades away.
Glorianna Belladonna suspects Zhahar is connected to it in some way. They confront Zhahar about the change and Zeela says it was her (meaning Zeela) that wanted to sever ties to protect Sholeh and Zhahar. Leaving that aside, Glorianna and Danyal and Yoshani go back to Vision to help the Shamans, but Lee, Kobrah, Apothecary, Knife, Michael and Sebastian follow using Lee's island. Ephemera placed makers sand in the Shaman Place of Light and Glorianna tells Danyal that he's the caretaker of a couple acres of playground. The others appear and being to settle in. Danyal goes back to his asylum and kills the wizards and Dark Guide using plants found in the Eater's former place. Glorianna and Lee help Danyal heal then return to Aurora. Glorianna performs Heart's Justice on Sholeh Zeela a Zhahar. Danyal and Lee set up a school called Seeing Heart in Vision. Sholeh Zeela a Zhahar ends up in a different part of Vision and, after training with the Knives, leave that part of Vision and travel to Seeing Heart. Danyal gives them jobs and Zhahar hopes she and Lee can find love.
All in all, a great read and addition to Bishop's Ephemera series. Wonderful prose, magic, romance, and fantasy. Any fan of real fantasy and romance will find this an enjoyable read.
The novel opens with a two-page epigraph from the Book of Dark Secrets as a Dark Guide plots revenge. Lee is still angry about what Michael did in Belladonna, and how he (Michael) asked Sebastian to help instead of Lee. This causes a heart rift and Lee has to leave because his heart no longer resonates with his sisters landscapes. In Vision, A Shaman named Danyal is assigned as Keeper of the Souther Asylum. Sholeh Zeela a Zhahar, a Tryad, meets Danyal and finds uot from Helper Kobrah that she (Kobrah) is meeting a strange man (Teaser) in her dreams who takes her for walks. A corrupt Bridge lures Lee to a group of wizards who kidnap Lee and abuse him, trying to get Glorianna so they can kill her. They leave Lee in the Southern Asylum in Vision where the Zhahar aspect of Sholeh Zeela a Zhahar fall for him and Danyal dismisses the man looking over Lee. Lee recovers and learns that several of the Asylum residents resonate with Glorianna's landscapes. Michael, in an attempt to rescue Lee, tells Ephemera to send Lee messages. Ephemera does so in the form of broken watches and clocks. Lee teaches the Sholeh aspect about the different demon races seen in the Den of Iniquity.
The Zeela aspect is badly wounded and it's showing on the Zhahar aspect. Lee and Danyal get help and Meddik Benham heals her, though there's not much he can do with the limited facilities at the Asylum. When Danyal and Lee discuss Ephemera, Danyal doesn't believe the landscape can do everything and foolishly wishes for gems--gems pop out of the ground. After Danyal is attacked by a Dark Guide, he ends up in the Den. An Apothecary helps Lee, Sholeh Zeela a Zhahar, Kobrah and a Knife flee to Tryadnea. Danyal tells lee's family about the situation in Vision and they agree to help, as soon as Lee is safe. Lee tells Sholeh Zeela a Zhahar's mother, Morragen Medusah a Zephyra, to say "Heart's Hope lies with Belladonna." She does and Glorianna, and Sebastian, appear and anchor Tryadnea to the Den. Morragen Medusah a Zephyra is disturbed by the knowledge that Glorianna was one aspect split in to two ways and will try and help heal her. Glorianna and Ephemera create a border that the Tryad can cross over. It leads to the Den. They all cross over. After a day in the Den, they go to Aurora. It turns out that the Zeela aspect doesn't resonate with Aurora and Zhahar doesn't resonate with the Den. Sholeh Zeela a Zhahar suspect taht Allone--a Tryad who sacrificed her sisters to love a one aspect being--crossed over and is planning on causing trouble in Tryadnea. Lee and Zhahar argue and the border to Tryadnea slowly fades away.
Glorianna Belladonna suspects Zhahar is connected to it in some way. They confront Zhahar about the change and Zeela says it was her (meaning Zeela) that wanted to sever ties to protect Sholeh and Zhahar. Leaving that aside, Glorianna and Danyal and Yoshani go back to Vision to help the Shamans, but Lee, Kobrah, Apothecary, Knife, Michael and Sebastian follow using Lee's island. Ephemera placed makers sand in the Shaman Place of Light and Glorianna tells Danyal that he's the caretaker of a couple acres of playground. The others appear and being to settle in. Danyal goes back to his asylum and kills the wizards and Dark Guide using plants found in the Eater's former place. Glorianna and Lee help Danyal heal then return to Aurora. Glorianna performs Heart's Justice on Sholeh Zeela a Zhahar. Danyal and Lee set up a school called Seeing Heart in Vision. Sholeh Zeela a Zhahar ends up in a different part of Vision and, after training with the Knives, leave that part of Vision and travel to Seeing Heart. Danyal gives them jobs and Zhahar hopes she and Lee can find love.
All in all, a great read and addition to Bishop's Ephemera series. Wonderful prose, magic, romance, and fantasy. Any fan of real fantasy and romance will find this an enjoyable read.
